Method Man - Tical 0: The Prequel

When people talk about the fall-off of the Wu-Tang Clan, there are a few timestamps they might bring up as to when exactly this took place. Some may trace it back as early as 1998, when RZA adopted his "digital orchestra" sound that plagued his own RZA as Bobby Digital In Stereo, a production technique that led to many finding the sophomore albums from the likes of GZA, Method Man and Raekwon (or even the debuts of Inspectah Deck and U-God) to be highly dissapointing, whether that was due to RZA's production touches, or due to the artist leaving out Robert entirely due to this new style not meshing with their vocals. 

There's also an argument that it was much later, around the time Wu-Tang dropped their 8 Diagrams effort in 2007. After all, how can a group that has already fallen off produce such great works as Supreme Clientele and The W (an underrated group effort which I'll get to soon)? Around the time 8 Diagrams came out was when there were many internal disputes within the group, and this was generally considered to be a notable low point within their group discography - also, artists such as RZA and GZA released some of their most poorly recieved projects around this time. 2007 was not a great year for the Wu (unless we're talking Ghostface Killah, because every year is great for him). 

And then you have the logical people, who say that, even though some members of the Wu-Tang were able to put out great projects after this point, the years 2003-2004 were when the Clan's true relevance within the hip-hop game kind of dwindled to a speck. They hadn't released as a group in a couple years by this point, the only member still making great music at the time was releasing an album with no Wu features at all (although The Pretty Toney Album did have a couple RZA and True Master production credits), and everyone else was either inactive or pushing mediocre product - think Raekwon's The Lex Diamond Story, RZA's Birth Of a Prince, Inspectah Deck's The Movement, and last but definitely not least, U-Godzilla Presents The Hillside Scramblers - basically some of the most poorly received and forgotten albums in the entire Wu catalogue. It shows that when Masta Killa was able to put out an album that was actually good, people had grown so indifferent towards most Wu material that this thing barely charted at all (#136 according to Wikipedia). Yes, 2007 wasn't good either, but to me this particular era was when the Clan dwindled in sales and quality, dropping into the worst places possible as musicians, and generally giving way to newer styles of hip-hop from the likes of 50 Cent, Jeezy and T.I.. It would get better, but really ever since Iron Flag the Clan haven't seen a huge amount of success with any of their own work - again, not counting Ghostface, because his catalogue is seriously good. 

And amongst this myriad of mediocrity (did I really just type that out?), one album in particular was singled out as the most dissapointing, ugly, and generally terrible LP of the entire Wu chronology up to that point - and that ladies and gentlemen, is Method Man's third album, Tical 0: The Prequel. 

Let's get this over with. 

1. Intro (feat. RZA) (prod. Yogi, co-prod. Rich Mae)

One of the reasons people tend to give for hating the shit out of this album is that the release we got wasn't even what Meth wanted to put out - originally, the album had a bunch of RZA beats, before the label decided Robert was no longer capable of making music that would sell well. So imagine the anger of these people when Meth had Bobby himself speaking on the intro, over some music that he didn't even produce! And you know how many credits he actually has on the album? One!! What the fuck??

2. The Prequel (feat. Streetlife) (prod. Rick Rock)

Despite Rick Rock's slightly clunky work behind the boards, Mef does his best to keep this one head high above water, with a fun and memorable performance on the mic that goes down surprisingly well as the first song on an album where the rapping is generally considered to be quite bad. "I got these wannabe gangstas sleeping with the lights on" is kinda funny if you ask me, and while Streetlife's contribution is merely limited to a short hook, Meth's performance makes sure the audience gets hype from the jump. I've always been a fan of this one, and it looks like I still am. 

3. Say What (feat. Missy Elliott) (prod. Tony Dofat & Sean "P. Diddy" Combs)

Probably the most forgettable song in the entire Method Man catalogue comes in the form of this dissapointing Missy Elliott collabo, and it's not poor just because the guest star's contribution is limited to a generic hook. Method Man should never be rhyming over an instrumental that sounds as flat and inoffensive as this, and even with the occasional funny bar like "I tried to quit puffin' before, but I'm no quitter", it's clear that even Meth himself realises that this track isn't worth a truly good performance. Also, this song has Diddy ad-libs, immediately rendering it unplayable in the year 2025. Oh dear. 

4. What's Happenin' (feat. Busta Rhymes) (prod. DJ Scratchator)

The lead single to this album is, no lie, one of the best songs I've heard from either of these guys. I fucking love this shit. Granted, Busta kind of makes this song his own, with an electrifying performance full of intense flows and constant quotable bars, over an instrumental by the man responsible for a lot of his best solo tracks over the years (think "Gimme Some More") that is equally excellent, sounding both radio friendly and hardcore as hell, a difficult combo to master - but, Method Man does hold his own on here with a decent performance, and he sounds more interested here than on the previous track. This is more a Busta song than anything, though, and it blows literally everything on his previous album at the time It Ain't Safe No More... out of the goddamn water. "Now watch me back your shit up / I hope your people pull up and pick up and pack your shit up - homie it's time to move!!". I don't care how much people hate this album and everything surrounding it - this is one of my favourite songs ever made, and home to one of the best Busta Rhymes guest appearances too. Did I mention that catchy as all hell chorus? What a banger this one is. 

5. The Motto (prod. Nasheim Myrick & Lee Stone)

Over a dark, menacing and dreary instrumental from Hitman Nashiem Myrick and Pharoahe Monch producer Lee Stone (this and Scarface's "On My Block" being the only two non-Pharoahe Monch production credits he's really had over the years as far as I know), Meth drops some slow and calculated verses, punctuated by a rather silly hook that it's best we all forget about. Overall, this song is decent though - the beat is heavily suited to Meth's "you can't fuck with me" attitude on the song, and while some of the bars are generic as fuck ("we can kick it until our feet hurt"), most of the time Meth's lyricism is amicable. This isn't Clifford's best work, but for an album cut it's pretty solid. 

6. We Some Dogs (feat. Redman & Snoop Dogg) (prod. Denaun Porter)

Of course we couldn't have a Meth album without the presence of Reggie Noble, and here he is alongside Snoop Dogg of all people - in fact, there were rumours around this time that the three were going to be forming a supergroup, which like many hip-hop rumours, was based upon absolutely nothing the artists themselves had said. And just like the previous song, this one is... pretty good, if not exceptional. Denaun's instrumental is fun, sure, but his hook is pretty atrocious, and all of the MCs come off as kinda-sorta misogynistic on here - I don't recall Blackout! having any crude sex songs on it, so what made these guys want to try this sort of song now? "Big Dogs", this ain't - it's no wonder these three never hooked up for an album. 

7. The Turn (feat. Raekwon) (prod. RZA)

The last song on the album before things kind of go to shit (spoiler alert) is this RZA produced cut that would probably have been a classic if it had been made by the same people ten years earlier. On this album however, RZA's production feels a little stale and repetitive, and Rae is far from his peak too, even if the instrumental does dwarf most of what we heard on The Lex Diamond Story the previous year. Thankfully, Mef rides the beat well, which is good, because he has twice as much screen time as his guest on this short track, that also implements a sample which I think I recognise, but can't place where it's from. Meth's last bar is pretty funny here - one thing the man can't be faulted on is his ability to not take himself too seriously all the time. Overall not bad, but you're better off checking out the other Wu-Tang feature song on here, which I'll explain later...

8. Tease (feat. Chinky) (prod. No ID)

You'd be forgiven for having some hope for this track, despite the horrible song title and oddly racist stage name of the featured artist Chinky - after all, No I.D. is one of the best producers of all time, right? Sadly, this song is inevitably horrible - Method Man should never be found within a five mile radius of such a commercial sounding instrumental, and just because he wrote some good love songs in his day, it doesn't mean he can spit some shit like "chicks call me gravel pit dick, the bed rocker" and expect to get away with it. God, this is terrible. 

9. Rodeo (feat. Ludacris) (prod. Boogz)

Yes, that is the same Boogz who made a name in the late 2010s and 2020s on albums like Kanye's Jesus Is King and Donda - or at least I think it is. Unfortunately, it seems he had some work to do back in 2004, because this electric guitar groove is simply godawful, forcing Meth and Luda to sound like unfunny parodies of themselves - it takes a special kind of terrible music to make two of the best rappers of all time sound like they have absolutely no clue what they're doing, and yet it happened here. This has to be one of the most disappointing collaborations of all time - thank God it's short is all I say. 

10. Baby Come On (feat. Kardinal Offishall) (prod. Fafu)

And you thought "Tease" was bad.... - I don't even want to comment on this bullshit. 

11. Who Ya Rollin Wit (prod. JellyRoll)

Since the previous three songs land themselves comfortably on my infamous "worst three track runs I've ever heard" list, Meth chooses to switch things up for this joint, and spit some more hardcore shit over what sounds like something Xzibit passed up from his Weapons Of Mass Destruction album, which isn't really much of a compliment - I'd certainly struggle to say much good about a song with a chorus as terrible as the one that appears on here. Still, just by default this one sounds acceptable compared to the last three tracks, and during the verses at least the instrumental is somewhat enjoyable - with Meth's performance being solid as well. I certainly don't love this song, but hey, anything's better than "Baby Come On", so I'll take it. 

12. Never Hold Back (feat. Saukrates & E3) (prod. E3)

Against my better judgement, I've always rather liked this collaboration with Redman's Gilla House signees. E3's production on this joint is fun, with an electronic bounce that is somewhat haunting but also playful, and Method Man sounds far more comfortable here than he has for a while now on this album. Not to mention, E3's vocals during this chorus are actually really nice. I'm genuinely a fan of this track. 

13. The Show (prod. Self)

The ups and downs in quality on this album are some of the most far apart of any album I own - they make Nas' I Am... seem completely consistent. "The Show" is a one verse wonder, the only one on the entire album as far as I can tell, and it's dope as fuck, as Meth slides over this brilliant instrumental with a unique, effortless flow, and a performance ten times as memorable as most of the other verses he drops on this record. Musically this is awesome, and Method Man finally sounds like he remembered that he's one of the greatest of all time here - the result is easily one of my favourite songs on this LP. No wonder this was pushed as a single!

14. Act Right (prod. Rockwilder)

Sadly by 2004, Rockwilder was long past the point of remembering how to make actual music - by now he's been making concoctions of random noises that are supposed to pass as "club bangers" for so long that not one of his beats has any sort of melody, rhythm or groove that you might consider to be good. It's a pity, because the guy wasn't half bad around the time "Da Rockwilder" came out. I almost forgot, Method Man raps on here too. Yeah. 

15. Afterparty (feat. Ghostface) (prod. Q)

Aside from "What's Happenin'", this has to be the clear standout from this project, one of the best Wu collaborations post 2000 in my personal opinion. Meth and Ghost spit a fun back and forth over an awesome instrumental from Qur'an Goodman (credited as just "Q", which I'm sure he was glad about), that incorporates these violins that sound simultaneously fun and tragic, which is quite the feat I must say. The addition of GFK into the proceedings was always going to help this track stand out, and he doesn't disappoint, with his rhymes about being at the party reminding me of some of the stuff he spit on the excellent The Pretty Toney Album, released a couple months before this track. And while on "What's Happenin'" Busta kind of outshone our host, here each player is an equal, both sounding awesome, with quotables galore on this cut. Man, this album has some good moments. 

16. Crooked Letter I (feat. Streetlife) (prod. Denaun Porter)

The second Kon Artis produced track on here is surprisingly better than the first, which is mental considering that that song featured Redman and Snoop Dogg, while this one has a guest feature from Streetlife. While it is unfortunate that Denaun always has to fucking sing on songs he's produced (Christ, this man is no MJ), the back and forth on here from Meth and Street is entertaining, and the song has that somewhat menacing air to it that's present on quite a few of the highlights across this record. This isn't brilliant, but I can dig it. 

17. Ridin' For Outro (feat. Black Ice) (prod. Yogi, co-prod. Rich Mae)

Kind of reminds me of the intro and outro to Nas' Nastradamus album, only with actual music behind it this time. Kind of an intriguing outro, but poorly placed considering it feels like it's setting something up, only for the album to just end abruptly. Would have worked better as a skit before some kind of dark storytelling track. 

Tical 0: The Prequel is like working days as a helicopter pilot, and nights cleaning the toilets of the local KFC - in other words this thing has some of the highest highs and lowest lows of any album I own on CD. It's actually ridiculous how the structure of this project plays out. You have some of Meth's best solo material ever in tracks like "Afterparty" and "The Show", and a legitimate classic of the 2000s on "What's Happenin'", plus some other seriously solid moments, like "The Prequel" and "Crooked Letter I", all of which show Meth's brilliant abilities as a humorous and talented MC, as well as his great ear for beats and talent for meshing well with his guest star. 

But amongst that, especially around the middle point of this tracklist, you have what are not only the worst Method Man songs ever, but also some of the worst released by a Wu member in general. Seriously, "Tease", "Baby Come On" and even "Rodeo" are legitimately embarrassing to listen to, with their insipid instrumentals, miserable choruses, and creepy verses from a rapper who sounds like he's going through the most inappropriate mid-life crisis of all time. Just imagine if the whole album had been of the quality of the high points on here - this could have been an almost Supreme Clientele level of great. Instead we get a few brilliant songs, a few more pretty decent songs, and some absolutely terrible songs too. It's no wonder Meth himself hates this album even more than all of his fans do - he was clearly still capable of creating good product at this time, but it just seems that the label got in the way of him cooking up something truly spectacular. It's a true shame we never got to hear the original album that Meth had recorded - that shit might've been seriously dope.

But in the end, I'd still call this better than most of the non-Ghostface Wu releases of the early 2000s. Even upon relisten the highs are still obvious to me, and while it's very inconsistent, it's far more likely to pull me back in than whatever Raekwon and Inspectah Deck were up to around this time. Seriously, go back and listen to this - there just might be some gems that you initially missed in your extreme rage over the lack of RZA input on here. Just make sure you keep a finger posted ready above the skip button, because that's something you're going to want to be hitting a couple of times with this one. Thanks for reading!

Best Tracks: "The Prequel", "What's Happenin'", "The Turn", "Never Hold Back", "The Show", "Afterparty"

Worst Tracks: "Tease", "Rodeo", "Baby Come On"

Read up on some of my other Method Man critiques by clicking here!

Live & In Colour: Mobb Deep - Infinite

The oldheads have really been eating recently. I mean, when was the last time so many '90s hip-hop legends released albums in such a short amount of time, and when was the last time they were all generally considered quite good? Ever since the year 2000 hip-hop has been moving on from these acts, and until recently they've been shells of their former selves, dropping mediocrity and occasionally straight rubbish. But take a look at 2025 (and 2024 as well) - we have new records from Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Slick Rick, LL Cool J, the Wu-Tang as a group, Redman, Clipse, and now a (sort of) posthumous album from Mobb Deep; and the kicker is, all of them have been well received. Of course, it's the greatest of all time himself who's responsible for like half of these - Nas' record label Mass Appeal has been running a series recently called "Legend Has It...", and it's doing very well for a lot of artists, whom most people had presumed to be well past the point of making anything that might be considered enjoyable (I mean, did you hear Ghostface Killah's Set the Tone album?). I'll try to get to all of these at some point, but for now I'll be discussing the latest, as it's probably the one I'm most intrigued by. 

After Albert "Prodigy" Johnson's tragic passing in 2017, I think many people assumed that was the end of Mobb Deep - they'd only released one album within the last 10 years anyway, and how could they possibly move without their star rhymer, the man who had once spit some of the greatest verses of all time on albums such as The Infamous and Hell On Earth? Well, turns out that his partner in rhyme Havoc, who even since Mobb Deep slowed down has never really let up with his output as a solo act, had quite a few unreleased P verses in the vault, enough to make a 15 track project with anyway. And I can't front, I'm very excited for this. Mobb Deep as a duo haven't released a truly great project for a very long time, but seeing all these other older artists rise up and create their best music in decades is giving me quite a bit of hope that this effort might be a truly great send off for one of the greatest duos of all time. 

And hey, worst comes to worst, at least there's some new Nas verses on here for me to enjoy. I'll never get sick of those. 

1. Against The World (prod. Havoc)

I understand that about three quarters of this record is produced by Havoc, with the rest given to The Alchemist - I'm surprised that man had the time to help out, what with the million other projects he's doing this year. Jesus Alc has a crazy work effort. As for this track though, it's all down to Hav, and already things are looking up, because this instrumental is absolutely lovely, sounding decidedly non-threatening, but smooth and beautiful instead, giving the pair a slower tempo to rock their rhymes over - the track feels like a far more mature take on the Mobb Deep formula, and in 2025 that's a very good thing. Arguably my favourite part of the track, however, is the refrain, where P threatens us for no apparent reason, just like the good old days. I almost got a tear in my eye listening to this - Prodigy is always sorely missed. Dope stuff. 

2. Gunfire (prod. The Alchemist)

A much more in character moment for the group comes on track 2, where Alchemist's aggressive and brilliant instrumental (teamed with some record scratches, which are always appreciated) forces Hav and P to perform their tough guy raps, which they do so amicably. This one is short, sweet, and exactly the sort of thing I would want from Mobb Deep at this point in their career. Nice!

3. Easy Bruh (prod. Havoc)

Probably the weakest track so far, but it still isn't bad. Sure, the hook is pretty dreadful, and random misogyny isn't exactly what I'm looking for from these two in their elder years, but other than that there's not much to dislike. "Straight from the bottom of the barrel / now I'm sitting pretty like the king and pharaoh" aren't exactly "Shook Ones" level bars, but the rapping here is entertaining enough, and it's clear the pair are both still skilled at their trade (where they weren't in 2001, or whenever that terrible Infamy album came out) - P being the standout vocalist on this track. The beat is also pretty good, sounding like something from an early Wu album, only hollower and colder if that's possible. Not bad, lads, not bad at all. 

4. Look At Me (feat. Clipse) (prod. Havoc)

Almost certainly the most anticipated track on this record, what with Clipse being one of the biggest hip-hop acts out right now (and deservedly so, given what they dropped this year). And this one lives up to the hype, being a collaboration that exhibits just how incredibly talented these 20+ year old duos still are at their craft. I'd probably have liked it even more if Hav and P did a back and forth just like the Clipse verse, and then both acts were on here for longer (perhaps only repeating the hook once), but that's just a small nitpick - this is as good as I expected and more, and Havoc's production continues to shine. This isn't "Right Back At You" by any means, but how close it comes to that classic certainly speaks volumes. Banger collaboration. 

5. The M. The O. The B. The B. (feat. Big Noyd) (prod. Havoc)

Yes, that really is what they named the song - and yes you'd better believe the gimmick carries into the horrible, horrible chorus on here that damn near threatens to ruin the entire track. Who's idea was that?? Thankfully, Havoc's beat is about ten times as menacing as anything else on here thus far, which is pretty good going, and while Big Noyd seems to forgoe rhyming during the first half of his verse, P and especially Havoc impress with their performances. Shame about that goddamn hook, then. 

6. Down For You (feat. Nas & Jorja Smith) (prod. Havoc)

Would it be a shock if I said this might be the best song on the album so far? Because this shit is seriously good. Havoc trades in the usual icy, thuggish instrumentals for a dramatic yet sensual concoction, that works wonders for Jorja Smith's vocals - and she absolutely kills this hook, with a beautiful performance that helps this track really stand out among the rest. Not to mention, Nas absolutely kills it, as is to be expected of him at this point. As for Havoc and P, they're pretty good too, although it should be clear at this point in the album that they haven't quite aged as gracefully on the mic as some of their contemporaries. Still, this one was great. 

7. Taj Mahal (prod. The Alchemist) 

One of the singles for this album, and you can see why, as this easily has one of the catchiest beats thus far - Alchemist really works the sample to perfection, creating a menacing yet very memorable atmosphere that sounds dope as fuck to put it lightly. Meanwhile, I reckon these are some of the best performances on the whole album from our hosts, with P impressing particularly on his verse, sounding as menacing as ever. This is another highlight - things seem to really be heating up at this point. 

8. Mr. Magik (prod. Havoc)

Another great track? This LP is only getting better and better. The first verse on this song is arguably the best P has delivered on the album up to this point, there's a back and forth segment on here which inevitably sounds great, and this instrumental is fantastic, being soft but eerie at the same time. What more could you possibly want? I'm loving this one. 

9. Score Points (prod. The Alchemist)

Surely I'm not the only one who slowly developed a big ass grin as the weird guitars at the beginning slowly transitioned into that dope ass piano loop. I should have known Alc wouldn't let me down. And aside from Havoc making a reference to Covid, something we as a collective human race should all be doing our best to forget, I really enjoyed the performances across this track as well, except for the hook, where P sounds like he's about to nod off in the booth. Still, I can't say many of these hooks have impressed me so far, so it's not like it was much of a disappointment. The lyrics on here were nice as fuck, and I find it incredible how, quite the opposite of their prime days in the mid '90s, Havoc and Prodigy have become some very calm and collected vocalists, who on the mic are more like crime bosses now, not mere street dudes trying to stay alive. They really did come a long way, and the calmness of each MC shows how confident they are with their position in the genre. I'm really loving this album so far, in case you couldn't tell. 

10. My Era (prod. The Alchemist)

However, I can't say I was as impressed by this one. Sure, Alchemist's skeletal beat is pretty good, and Prodigy doesn't do bad either, but the chorus that consists of naming '90s rappers and groups with no flow or direction isn't very well done, and Hav's verse is full of issues. "Body you on IG live / N***as soft for real, for real, like key lime pie" - oh dear; this verse is certainly not the man's finest hour. Still, I'd probably take this over anything off of Infamy, so that's certainly something. 

11. Pour The Henny (feat. Nas) (prod. Havoc)

Talk about a return to form. After a minor misstep in the last track, "Pour the Henny" is in strong contention for best song on the album, and it isn't the Nas feature that determines that (although he certainly does his thing on here). The main attraction on here is that P verse, which sounds as though it was written from beyond the grave, and is enough to make even the toughest thug cry, as Prodigy tells of how you shouldn't mourn him, as his life was as wonderful as can be - shit, by the time Nas starts rhyming you'll be too moved to even listen anymore. This is easily one of the best songs here, the perfect dedication to Prodigy and an incredibly powerful moment overall. Incredible. 

12. Clear Black Nights (feat. Raekwon & Ghostface Killah) (prod. Havoc)

Arguably the song I was most excited for going into this project is this collaboration with the two Wu-Tang members who seem to still be going strong on the solo tip to this day, with both of them having released projects already for this "Legend Has It..." series (surely a Run the Jewels album will come out of this as well). Havoc's beat here is simply beautiful, being a bit more loose with the variation compared with a lot of other beats on the record, especially when we get to Rae's verse, and unlike on "Right Back At You", both Rae and Ghost get to spit full verses of their own on this joint. This is just dope hip-hop made by legends of the game, and I'm all for it. Nice stuff. 

13. Discontinued (prod. Havoc)

On one of the more simplistic instrumentals of the evening, Prodigy takes the idea of "brag rapping" even further by talking about how even he is confused at just how his life managed to get so good, while Havoc drops another decent performance. There's a missed opportunity here to sample the classic line "if he doesn't discontinue his bullshit he might be dead" from their older track "Cradle to the Grave", but otherwise this was decent. Nothing to write home to about, but decent. 

14. Love The Way (Down For You PT2) (feat. Nas & H.E.R.) (prod. Havoc)

While the instrumental here seems to be the exact same as that on the original version of the song, the vocals are all completely different - well, except for the openings of Hav and Nas' verses, which started with the same exact lines, and then slowly blended into completely different passages, which I thought was an interesting and clever twist. Just like the original, this song stands out for having a fantastic hook, and just like the original, it feels very unique among all the other tracks surrounding it. I'm really feeling this one. 

15. We The Real Thing (prod. Havoc)

Really not a fan of this beat, which is a shame considering this'll likely be the final Mobb Deep track I ever hear. Still, it's not like the rest of the album doesn't make up for it - this has certainly been a great experience. 

While Infinite is not a perfect album, it's about as good of a send off as we could have asked for from one of the most important and legendary duos in hip-hop history. These are some of the best tracks these guys have made together in years, and given how most posthumous albums turn out that's quite the feat. Take The Infamous and Hell On Earth out of the equation, and this could be their best offering as a duo ever. Now, there are some things about this album that let it down - the choruses for example, about two of which on the whole record are bearable. Seriously, some of these hooks are nightmarish, especially on that track with Big Noyd that I can't be bothered to type out the name of - that one in particular really does ruin an otherwise stellar track. And the other thing is that Havoc and Prodigy do show some signs that they aren't young and hungry MCs on here, whether that be for better or for worse, and on some occasions it feels like their lyrical skills are dwindling - and when you compare the lyricism and deliveries on here to, say, those on one of the Nas x Hit-Boy tapes, it's clear that it is lacking at times. Just listen to Havoc's weirdly poor verse on "My Era" for proof. But I'm just nitpicking. On the positive side, these guys still sound pretty good - and my God are these beats nice. After Havoc's skills dwindled behind the boards on some of the collaborative records in the 2000s, it seems here that he's finally re-learned what he does best, and offers a selection of music that is reminiscent of the duo's prime work, while also sounding suitable in the modern era. Not to mention, whenever The Alchemist chimes in things inevitably heat up too. In general, this album is great, and if you're a fan of Mobb Deep I'd definitely give it a listen. It certainly isn't a modern classic, but for my money this exceeded any expectations that should have been placed on it, and is an incredibly fitting tribute to Prodigy's life, and Havoc's talents as well of course. Let's just hope this successfully washes the tastes of The Hegelian Dialectic 2: The Book Of Heroine firmly out of everyone's mouths. Thanks for reading!

Best Track: "Pour The Henny"

Worst Track: "We The Real Thing"

Check out other Mobb Deep write-ups here!

Raekwon - Immobilarity

Because when you can't think of a name for your album title, just make up a word on the spot, and attempt to justify it on a couple of half-assed skits throughout the album. What could go wrong?

Chef Raekwon's sophomore studio album was one of the most anticipated hip-hop records of the entire decade. Heads had been waiting four years for a follow up to the incredible Only Built 4 Cuban Linx..., his 1995 solo debut that is today often considered the best of the original run of Wu-Tang solo albums, and by the time November of '99 came around they'd have probably given an arm, leg and their copy of Ooh I Love You Rakeem on vinyl, just to hear another album by Corey Woods. Luckily for them, the last two years of the 20th century seemed to be the time when RZA sort of gave up on his original plan, and started letting members who'd already released projects drop sophomores before those who hadn't even got their debuts out (infamously, Masta Killa couldn't get his record out until 2004, by which point no-one really gave many fucks about the non-Ghostface Wu members anyway). And while Raekwon gave way to Meth, GZA and ODB first, he eventually released his own sophomore album on November 16th 1999, the same day as Dr. Dre's enormously popular 2001 album - not really a good starting point. 

And if you're a hip-hop fan who's ever done any research about the genre ever, you probably already know that this album was pretty much a disaster, a definition of the word "sophomore slump", and a serious balls-up considering the lack of faith fans were starting to have in the Wu-Tang Clan anyway, considering every other release of the year from the collective had already been considered underwhelming (Meth & Red's Blackout! notwithstanding, unless you were someone who wanted more RZA production on there). And I mean, what the fuck did Raekwon expect? On the ridiculously titled Immobilarity, there are no RZA production credits, no Ghostface Killah features, and no Wu posse cuts, three things that all were in high proportion on Only Built 4 Cuban Linx..., making that album as brilliant as it was. Instead, almost all of the beats were provided by no-name producers with idiotic names such as "DJ Devastator" (although Pete Rock does show up for one track, which is nice), and Rae spends more time on here promoting his American Cream Team than he does rhyming alongside fellow Wu members. 

So, Immobilarity. Was it quite as bad as it looked? (That album cover would certainly indicate so). Thank God for Supreme Clientele is all I say - without that album who knows how far into irrelevancy the Wu would have fallen. 

1. Intro (Skit) (prod. The Infinite Arkatechz)

Yes, this is a rap album intro full of useless dialogue that really has no relevance to what is to come... but goddamn this is kind of intriguing, not to mention with a beat that really should have been rhymed over. This is one of the better intro skits I've ever heard. 

2. Yae Yo (prod. Carlos "Six July" Broady)

This track right here is a prime example of why some people don't like this album. You've got some of the hungriest, most fantastic performances from Raekwon, showcasing passion and a knack for engaging storytelling (told in one long verse in this instance), only over an instrumental that, while not terrible, feels hollow and empty, lacking replay value entirely. And this is one of the most well-known producers on the album too. Thankfully, Rae really managed to make this one worthwhile, with one of the best performances I've ever heard from him - when this man isn't doped up on sleeping medication (like he seemed to be throughout a lot of his 2000s guest appearances), he can really rock the mic. A good introduction overall, if my issues with the beat still stand. 

3. Casablanca (prod. The Infinite Arkatechz)

Over an instrumental that I actually really fucking like, Raekwon once again forgoes any kind of hook (unless you count the repetition towards the very end of the track), spitting a long-ass verse that stories another one of his engaging crime tales that ends with him and his friend escaping the cops, who've caught up to them it seems. The instrumental on here really makes you feel like you're in Italy doing business with the mafia, and Raekwon's storytelling is on point. This track honestly stands up to a lot of Only Built 4 Cuban Linx..., and you can go ahead and shoot me in the face for that opinion if you want. 

4. 100 Rounds (prod. Triflyn)

Tracks like this one make me wonder if, had it been Raekwon's debut album, Immobilarity could have been considered as generally quite good. I remember I used to find this track quite boring, and to this day it does overstay it's welcome by about a minute and a half - but goddamn, how could I hate this when Raekwon sounds so damn good on the mic? Yeah the beat is pretty dull, and yeah the chorus didn't need to be repeated, but Jesus this man sounds good on here. If this were a mixtape track I'd call it phenomenal, but as an actual song it does fall short - it's really a shame Rae couldn't get RZA to help format this LP. His rapping warrants much better structure and music. 

5. Real Life (prod. DJ Devastator) 

This one definitely used to be one of my favourites on the album, and it still holds up today, even if the hook once again feels like just four standard bars of the song that just happen to be repeated. Production wise this album seems to be going up and down so far, and this lands on the positive side of that equation, being melancholy, warm, and a big change in tone from the previous three beats. Lyrically, Rae continues his streak of hot bars, making this into yet another underrated gem. I'm starting to wonder what it is that people hate so much about this album...

6. Power (feat. American Cream Team) (prod. Triflyn)

"Y'all brothers wanna call us out? Name names, otherwise it'd be wise to shut the fuck up" - great way to begin your verse there, mr Baby Thad. Of all the Wu members who tried to create their own Wu-Tang Clan, Raekwon is right next to U-God at the bottom of the pile. This track is a prime example - even if the beat didn't completely suck balls, the track would still be terrible. The first true misstep on here. 

7. Skit No 1

If you think the acting on this skit is bad, then just wait till we get to The Lex Diamond Story. 

8. All I Got Is You Pt. II (feat. Big Bub) (prod. Vo & Pop)

Not as terrible as the other part 2 to a classic Wu track to appear on a Raekwon album (if you know, you know), but definitely more confusing, since Raekwon had absolutely nothing to do with the original "All That I Got Is You". And when I say not as terrible, I certainly don't mean any good either - Mary J, Big Bub ain't. 

9. Jury (feat. Kim Stephens) (prod. The Infinite Arkatechz)

After two highly underwhelming tracks that are truly deserving of any negative press they may receive, "Jury" is a big return to form on the album, probably because of who produced it - The Infinite Arkatechz are responsible for the best beats this record has offered so far, easily (with the exception of "Real Life"). This instrumental is intense and emotional, certainly nothing like anything I would expect to hear on this project - it's almost like a budget "Rainy Dayz", although definitely not on the level of that absolute classic. To say that would be blasphemous. Raekwon also sounds like he's had a chilli pepper rammed up his arse on here, showing aggression in flows that seem even more intense and relentless than usual, with bars that may or may not be partly about the FBI investigation into the Wu-Tang Clan that took place in the late '90s. Not to mention, the chorus from Kim Stephens is actually surprisingly good. Nice stuff!

10. Fuck Them (feat. Method Man) (prod. Triflyn)

Ridiculous beat aside, I actually rather like this collaboration, if just for how shockingly light hearted it is from the guys who made some of the most gutter shit of the early '90s. Raekwon sounds pretty good, and Meth is right in his element here, except for on the chorus, where he uses the term "silly boys", immediately invalidating any kind of threatening image he might be trying to pull off. To be honest, there's no real good reason for me liking this (in fact, it's objectively quite bad), but I do, so there. Maybe it's just finally hearing from another Wu member - they've been seriously missed so far.

11. Skit No 2

If you think the acting on this skit is bad, then just wait till we get to The Lex Diamond Story. Wait, didn't I write this sentence earlier?

12. Live From New York (prod. The Infinite Arkatechz)

At this point in the album, the tracks start to carry a similar sound to the first three cuts again, before things got melancholy and/or terrible, and this, the lead single, is a prime example of why that cold, icy sound worked. This beat, while not a gem of the '90s or anything, is really good, with these hollow piano keys that sound straight out of a horror movie accentuated by the typically hard drums, coming together to provide the perfect backdrop for Raekwon to rip things apart - hell, even the hook on here works, the first time on the album one provided by our host sounds like it was written to actually be the part that people remember the most. As a lead single, you could do a lot worse, and "Live From New York" still stands as one of the best post-Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Raekwon tracks - although when stacked against a "Mighty Healthy", it does seems rather tame.

13. My Favorite Dred (prod. Triflyn)

Rae spits another crime tale over what is easily the best Triflyn instrumental on the album thus far, and the results are pretty fun, if nothing to leap in the air with joy over. This joint isn't particularly moving, but as a quick one verse wonder that's out of the window in less than two minutes, it works well. 

14. Friday (prod. Triflyn)

You know, the sequencing on this album really confuses me. The first two tracks on the album are both crime tales, the first much shorter than the second, both with no hooks... and now we have the exact same right here in the tracklist! Meanwhile, there's a bunch of random shit discussed in between with no mention of the supposedly crime related concept of the album! Still, at least this song was great - I'd honestly completely forgotten it even existed before re-listening to the album today, but lyrically it's easily one of the most engaging cuts on the album, and the beat is nice too. Yet another instance of a decent track that simply seems weak when compared with Rae's superior earlier work. 

15. The Table (feat. Masta Killa) (prod. The Infinite Arkatechz)

Definitely one of the most memorable moments on the album, featuring a very different style of instrumental to everywhere else, even if Raekwon's rhymes feel similar to other points on the record. Outside of the beat, which is excellent by the way, the most notable thing about this one has to be the Masta Killa guest spot, which is short but incredibly sweet, with his calm and soft voice being far more suited to this softer sound than Corey could ever hope to be. It's a real shame we never got that '99 MK album - it could have been a real killer (get it??). 

16. Sneakers (prod. Pete Rock)

Probably the most consistently praised track off of this album is Rae's dedication to his collection of footwear, and that's largely due to the fact that he actually managed to get a legendary producer to provide him with some music - Pete Rock's beat on here doesn't sound brilliant at first, but you really get into it through the three minute duration of the song, and the record scratching helps a lot with that; this is easily the most replayable song on the record, with the Nas and Mobb Deep samples in the hook being absolute ear-candy. I'm surely not the only one who'd have loved a Raekwon x Pete Rock tape in the late '90s am I? Considering the direction RZA was going at that time it'd probably have been an even better move for Rae than an Only Built 4 Cuban Linx sequel. Either way, this song right here is a hidden gem that everyone should hear. Banger!!

17. Raw (feat. American Cream Team) (prod. Vo & Pop)

I guess I should be grateful that Rae only included the Cream Team (seriously, who the fuck came up with that name?) on two tracks on this album, but still, that's two too many. Most would probably remember this one because of the lazy "Winter Warz" interpolation masquerading as a chorus, but for what it's worth the instrumental on here gives this track a far better energy than "Power" from earlier - this track also is way better in general, with the back and forth being a welcome addition to the tracklist. It's a shame he couldn't have done it with, I don't know, fucking Ghostface Killah. 

18. Pop Shit (prod. Vo & Pop)

I don't care how you feel about the lyrics to this song - the terrible, terrible Swizz Beatz imitating instrumental derails it from the off. There have been some mediocre moments on this album, for sure, but there's no denying this is the standout worst track. Who the fuck was this shit even aimed at??

19. Heart To Heart (prod. Vo & Pop)

Over an unusually funky beat on what is mostly a pretty dry and dreary (not necessarily in a bad way) album, Raekwon switches up his flow a bit, doing his best to change things up but not really succeeding, only sounding different from his usual self on the hook, which is admittedly reasonably catchy. I'll be honest, though, this song isn't particularly interesting, and while most songs on here have aged okay, this has aged quite poorly, being a clear product of the late '90s. Still, it's a hell of a lot better than the last song, I tell you that. 

20. Forecast (prod. Triflyn)

Lyrically probably the worst song on the entire album, as Rae basically spends most of it listing a bunch of random places across the US (and, towards the end, the world in general), but I always did like this beat, as it really feels like it's the end of the album - I guess this was supposed to be the end credits of Rae's crime movie. Shame the Chef couldn't stay on that topic for more than like two songs then. 

21. Outro

Laughably stupid. 

I might get some odd looks for this, but I actually kind of like Immobilarity, as I'm sure a lot of people who go in with the heavily lowered expectations crafted by the internet will. I've seen many call this record one of the most disappointing sophomore records of all time, and while "disappointing" is an appropriate word considering what came before, I think that if you forget Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... exists, this album sounds pretty nice for at least 2/3 of the time. Now yes, there are moments on here that might have you questioning your stance as a fan of the hip-hop genre, but those aren't nearly as prominent as the moments when Raekwon tears shit up over a legitimately solid beat, something that happens more often than you'd think on an album that shows up in every "bad albums by great rappers" list you can come across (maybe that's a list I should make). For every terrible song like "Pop Shit" or "Power", you have a legitimate banger, such as "Live From New York" or "Casablanca" - and that's not to mention some of the other great tracks, with "Jury" and "The Table" being beautiful moments of sombreness, and "Sneakers" being an absolute classic of the late '90s. And furthermore - are these beats even really that bad? There are a couple that kind of suck, sure, but on relistening to this album there's plenty of great moments to be found. I think the reason that everyone hates this is purely because of what it follows, and that's understandable - hell, if I'd been around in 1999 to listen to this with the expectations people back then would have gone in with, I'd probably feel the same way. But to me, Immobilarity, ridiculous title and all, has not only aged well, but showcases a rapper who is legitimately great, with an up-and-coming production team that, with some kinks ironed out, could have some true potential. Basically, I like this album. Sue me. 

Thanks for reading!

Best Tracks: Casablanca, Real Life, Jury, Live From New York, Friday, The Table, Sneakers 

Worst Track: Pop Shit

More Raekwon, or just Wu-Tang in general if you'd really like!

Image for cover: https://www.normanrecords.com/records/205929-raekwon-immobilarity-25th-anniversary-edition
Image for single: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Live-New-York-12-VINYL/dp/B000031KFZ

Xzibit - Man Vs Machine

In 2002, Alvin Joiner aka mr. X to tha Z Xzibit biatch was at the height of his career, at least in terms of success. After a few years releasing incredible albums like 40 Dayz & 40 Nightz in the mid to late '90s on Loud Records, he was noticed (alongside his mentor King Tee) by the one and only Dr. muthafuckin' Dre, who saw fit to include Xzibit on multiple tracks from his hugely successful LP 2001 in 1999. These excellent guest verses led Dr. Dre to Xzibit's personal studio, where he lent a hand on X's third LP, and first to really hit the big time, Restless, an album I covered like a year ago. Time really does fly. 

While Restless wasn't quite as fantastic as Xzibit's previous two projects, it was still pretty great, and the optimistic hip-hop heads probably indicated that Alvin just needed to become used to the spotlight in order to craft a truly brilliant record that also happened to sell well. Restless, as enjoyable as it was, had the occasional train-wreck of a song, and also felt a little too glossy and clean, contrasting the gritty atmosphere of his first two projects. Therefore, Xzibit set about tweaking the formula, attempting to make some darker tracks while still concocting songs that could conceivably receive some radio airplay. He even managed to pull in a similarly star studded roster to Restless, although some fans would be disappointed to note the absence of Tha Alkaholiks and King T, the guys who put X on in the first place and were instrumental in his success. And don't get too excited for a reunion either - X wouldn't make music with these chaps again until 2012, by which point he couldn't help their careers out anyway, as his descent into irrelevance was all but complete by then. How depressing. 

But going back to 2002, Man Vs Machine, the new album that was executively produced by Dre but weirdly not on his Aftermath record label (X infamously attempted to leave Loud, only to receive a stab wound to the face for his troubles), seemed to be a success on the surface, being Xzibit's highest charting record to date, and also having a minor hit in "Multiply". But let me tell you - it's no coincidence that Dr. Dre and his friends would quietly depart from the Xzibit experiment shortly after this album's release; as you're about to see, Man Vs Machine wasn't quite the follow up that fans were hoping for. 

I mean, surely it's not a good sign that this was the last album released on Loud Records before it's tragic liquidation. Surely. 

1. Release Date (prod. Rockwilder)

For the first time on one of his albums, X forgoes any kind of dramatic intro skit, and gets right on with the music, dropping one long ass verse over one of the best Rockwilder beats I've ever heard - this shit is menacing, and sounds exactly like the album cover if that makes sense. The mechanical, electronic sound effects on this track make me understand how this album got it's title. As for the Xzibit performance, it's... pretty fucking great if I'm being honest. The concept of this track is that X has just been released from prison, and he's reminiscing on all the hard times and people that double crossed him - with the lines towards the end especially being quite poignant and powerful. "I hope I never see none of you motherfuckers again" - how subtle of you. The verse here gets more engaging the longer it goes on for, which is quite the feat, and I was almost sad when it was over - that said, surely after such an opener most listeners would be desperate to hear what else X had cooked for this LP. This was about as good of a way possible he could have opened things up. Wow!

2. Symphony In X Major (feat. Dr. Dre) (prod. Rick Rock)

I'm assuming it was the Dr. Dre vocal appearance that convinced Loud to release this as the lead single for Man Vs Machine, because it sure as hell couldn't be any other part of it. Over an annoying and frankly, too weird for its own good instrumental from the ever aggravating Rick Rock, Xzibit drops some bars that make him appear amateurish on the mic, with the entire first verse sounding like the work of a man who is too far up his own ass to realise that he's nowhere near successful enough to be coasting at this point. "Separate myself from y'all - segregation / try to stop Xzibit and Dre - humiliation" are some of the laziest bars I've heard this side of a Tech N9ne Collabos album. Is this some kind of joke? And don't get me started on whatever the fuck that chorus was trying to do. What a weirdly terrible moment. 

3. Multiply (feat. Nate Dogg) (prod. Denaun)

Now this is more like it. Xzibit gets hold of a brilliantly quirky instrumental courtesy of Denaun Porter (who thankfully doesn't bless the track with his singing voice), and rips shit up with a performance that exhibits (get it?) far more personality than whatever the hell he was trying on the previous track. Not only that, but instead of some tongue-in-cheek opera singers, we get Nate Dogg on the hook, who predictably kills it - arguably performing even better during the bridge of the track. Also, the music video is great, with that funny ass scorpion always being something I remember. It's no wonder this was the better performing of the album's two singles - this shit is just so much better than "Symphony In X Major". Nice!

4. Break Yourself (prod. Rick Rock)

One word: ehhh. Aside from the extraordinarily offensive final verse (in which Xzibit spews unwarranted hate on multiple occasions, e.g. "fuck y'all, y'all homosexual" and "hospital bed, you vegetable". The fuck??), there isn't too much to remember about this one, which I suppose is better than it being disastrously bad. The instrumental isn't terrible but grows old quickly, Xzibit's flows are formulaic as fuck, and frankly the hook is irritating from the get go. And my god are some of these lyrics lazy - "hanging on my dick, like testical" sounds like something you'd hear in a secondary school playground from someone who's clearly ran out of pre-written bars to deliver, and there isn't anything here close to making up for it. I remember enjoying this a lot when I was younger, but now I'm left very underwhelmed; this shit is barely mixtape worthy, let alone something that should be appearing on such a highly anticipated record. Get it off!

5. Heart Of Man (prod. Jelly Roll)

Sampling Toto's "Africa" didn't work for Nas in '99, and it certainly isn't working for Alvin here. Seriously, the amount of shitty rap songs I've put myself through with this sample have damn near put me off the original song for life. Fuck!

6. Harder (feat. The Golden State Project) (prod. Jelly Roll)

After they were left off of Restless for unexplained reasons, Xzibit's crew The Golden State Project (X, Ras Kass and Saafir) re-unite for this terrible, terrible collaboration that was most likely the nail in the coffin for the fabled group album these guys were supposed to release, advertised within the booklet for Man Vs Machine. I mean sure, the verses on here aren't that bad, and it's actually nice to hear from Ras Kass and Saafir every now and then - both of them are underrated MCs in my opinion - but please let me know if you can find a single person on this earth who can honestly say they enjoy this beat, and this chorus. Because I don't believe such a person exists. And did the attack on Xzibit damage his brain or something? Because what the fuck happened to his pen game? He easily has the worst verse on here, sounding like a gimmick of himself. This track is a huge disappointment all round. 

7. Paul 

Not sure why Eminem's manager is so concerned for Xzibit's whereabouts, given that he has no connection to him business-wise (and it's not like Em would desperately need an X collaboration for promotion, what with him winning and Oscar in the next few months and being generally the biggest rapper on the planet at the time). Still, I guess this gives Em completists further reason to track down this CD, so there's that. 

8. Choke Me, Spank Me (Pull My Hair) (prod. Dr. Dre)

I'm sure no-one was expecting a song with this title to be good when reading the tracklist - but of all the instrumentals did it really have to be a Dre prescription that X ruins with this audio equivalent of S&M? This album is seriously going off the rails.

9. Losin' Your Mind (feat. Snoop Dogg) (prod. Dr. Dre)

In all seriousness, that last three track run (excluding the "Paul" skit) is one of the worst on any CD I own, so that should tell you something about how this album is feeling at the moment, given we're at the halfway point. And while initially things aren't looking good with this one either, what with Snoop's contribution being limited to a hook and ad-libs only, and Xzibit dropping the line "see the skid marks from the shit I've been through" during the first verse, which is frankly vomit inducing. Thankfully, though, I kind of like this one. Dre's beat isn't one of his best, sure, but it is Dr. Dre we're talking about here, so even his weaker contributions are still pretty much heat - and the choruses and refrains that litter this track are catchy as fuck, with X proving to be a decent singer; shit, it certainly distracts from the lack of lyrical matter we're getting during the verses. This isn't brilliant, but it's a step in the right direction at this point in the record, so I'm all for it. 

10. BK To LA (feat. M.O.P.) (prod. Ty Fyffe, co-prod. Tydro)

This collaboration with the Mash Out Posse is certainly better than the one that appeared on Busta Rhymes' Anarchy, as it at least plays to the strengths of the rappers - however, I'm not entirely impressed with this track either. Lyrically it's highly uninteresting, and the instrumental doesn't do anywhere near enough to distract you, instead getting very annoying very quickly. M.O.P. can work sometimes, but here it's difficult to stomach. Sorry. That said, the outro does sound quite nice, once the yelling ceases. 

11. My Name (feat. Eminem & Nate Dogg) (prod. Eminem, add-prod. Luis Resto)

Ah yes, the infamous diss track in which Xzibit allows Eminem, who was undeniably the king of the rap game at the time, to spit some fire against Canibus and Jermaine Dupri - X even weighs in on the fun himself, dropping some of the most passionate performances of the entire record so far. I mean, if anything could make Alvin give a shit, it'd have to be the prospect of being rapped circles around by a white boy on his own record. That'd be like losing a home game to Sunderland. Of course, Eminem has the more memorable performance here anyway (after all, it's his own music that he's rhyming over), but make no mistake Xzibit ain't no slouch on the record - he actually sounds invigorated here, with plenty of great bars and a delivery that shows a man with rage in his bones. We haven't felt this energy from him since At the Speed Of Life. And don't get me started on Nate Dogg's incredible hook - R.I.P. to that man. There's a reason this is the most popular song on the album - it truly is brilliant. 

12. The Gambler (feat. Anthony Hamilton) (prod. Bink!)

A musical departure from the rest of what we've heard on this record so far, and honestly I kind of like it, even if the knowledge that Bink! produced tracks from The Blueprint a year earlier kind of puts things all in perspective. This song kind of puts me in mind of some old Motown record, with the rhymes about struggle and making a living in the streets being much more interesting to listen to than what the fuck Xzibit has been rhyming about for the rest of this godforsaken LP. This song doesn't touch much from his first three albums, but on here it stands in the upper half, which just goes to show how disappointing this thing is. 

13. Missin' U (feat. Andre "Dre Boogie" Wilson) (prod. Rick Rock)

While I don't love Andre Wilson's crooning across this record, Xzibit's heartfelt letter to his deceased mother is touching, and Rick Rock even comes through with one of his better (read: less annoying) instrumentals. It doesn't feel right criticising this sort of song, so I'll leave it at that - but even then I can say I found more enjoyment in this song this time round than on previous listens. Not bad. 

14. Right On (prod. Erick Sermon)

After a rather depressing moment on the album, Xzibit hits us with something much more light-hearted, this E-Double produced track with some of the goofiest flows and production touches of the whole album experience. If you've already resigned yourself to Xzibit having lost a lot of his lyrical ability on this record, then you'll probably enjoy this somewhat, as it is sort of fun - but fans of At the Speed Of Life are probably going to give you a brutal side eye if you play this. Also, it's nowhere near as good as X and E's previous collaboration "Alkaholik", and I think both parties here knew that too. 

15. Bitch Ass N***az (feat. Eddie Griffin) 

NOT. FUNNY.

16. Enemies (prod. J-Beats)

I guess this is supposed to call back to the last song on X's debut album, "Enemies & Friends", but unfortunately all that does is remind us how weak this shit is compared to that album. The instrumental on here is similar to the one on "BK to LA" in that it gets old real fucking fast (no but really, they do sound alike), and this ridiculous chorus is just the next pile of slop on this cafeteria lunch tray. It says something about this album that this isn't even one of the weakest moments - but considering the last four tracks have been decent, it's a shame we had to end with more ridiculous, faux-aggressive, unfunny crap with a beat that sounds like something you'd hear in Monsters Vs Aliens. Fuck this shit. 

Hey, audience! Had enough yet? Well that's too bad, because there's more! Some pressings of Man Vs Machine come with a bonus disc, with three additional cuts deemed not quite good enough to make the final cut. God forbid what awaits us on here. 

1. My Life, My World (prod. Bink!)

Not a brilliant start, I must say, although at least this is ten times better than some of the shit on the album, like "Harder". The main thing holding this one back is Bink's repetitive and mostly hollow instrumental, which tries to sound dramatic, but falls flat on its face rather quickly when you realise it never progresses throughout the duration of the song. This sounds more like something Jelly Roll would make if I'm being honest. Lyrically, this isn't all that bad, with the occasional memorable moment, like when X seems to come with the occasional socially conscious lyric - but musically, this sucks, and it's not like Xzibit doesn't drop just as much bullshit as on most of the other songs about beating you up or whatever. This really is nothing special.

2. What A Mess (prod. DJ Premier)

An Xzibit collaboration with DJ Premier would be unexpected in the first place, but surely if one were to happen it would make the final tracklist, right? I guess not, because somehow this brilliant track is relegated to bonus cut status - and that's right, I said "brilliant", because this track is truly great. Xzibit sounds surprisingly invigorated over a stellar Preemo instrumental (aided by some scratching on the chorus, partly taken from GZA's "Labels"), almost as if he finally realised that he didn't have to appear like a robot trying to rap for the first time on every track, despite what the album cover might indicate. This honestly wouldn't have sounded out of place on one of X's first two albums, and that's without doubt the first time I could say that about a song on here, so props. If you have to pick up this bonus disc, let this be the track to convince you. 

3. (Hit U) Where It Hurts (prod. Rockwilder)

Not terrible, but not brilliant either. The somewhat nu-metal vibe of this song might put some listeners off, but on the other hand the chorus is kind of amusing, and at this point anything that doesn't sound like "Harder" or "My Life, My World" will suffice. Anddddd we're done. 

Look... I like Xzibit, I really do. He's one of my favourites in fact, and anyone who's read my other posts on him would know that. Unfortunately, there's really no way around the fact that Man Vs Machine is a terrible album, and one of the worst solo records ever released by a rapper whom I really respect, especially in terms of albums put out during an artist's heyday. I'm sure some people would say - "but hey, what about all the songs you liked?" And they'd have a point - I do like quite a few songs on here. "Release Date", "Multiply", "My Name" and "What a Mess" are some of my favourite Xzibit cuts of the 2000s, that I definitely would recommend a listen to for anyone, and there are some other occasional moments on this album that are enjoyable enough. Unfortunately, at least half of these songs are ones I'd never plan on hearing again, and furthermore there's quite a few downright horrible songs on here - as I mentioned earlier it has one of the worst three song runs in my entire collection (and please let me know of any terrible runs that you know to compete with it). Tracks like "Heart of Man" and "Harder", while the verses are alright, are musically dismal, with nothing going for them. It's not like they didn't age well - I'm sure they sounded horrible at the time too. And it's not just the clunky production, weirdly terrible hooks and stupid fucking album cover that bring this down - it's Xzibit himself. The man's rapping didn't deteriorate here - it fell off a fucking cliff, with this being one of the most serious downgrades I've ever heard in a pen game between albums. I mean, Restless had the occasional weak track, but this? This is seriously bad, and it's no wonder X started hosting Pimp My Ride shortly afterwards, as he had clearly lost his nerve when it came to being an MC. People went from thinking Restless was a fairly shaky but still dope introduction to the mainstream, soon to be followed by a more polished effort, to seeing Restless as X's magnum opus, a project he'd inevitably never top again. No-one, I mean no-one thinks that this is an improvement on Restless. Did I also mention that it sounds even worse to me today than it used to? X's career would continue after this album, but unfortunately he'd never reach the heights of "X" or "What U See Is What U Get" again, and not 4 years into the future he would be all but irrelevant in the game. So not only is it terrible, but Man Vs Machine also kind of killed X's rap career. Well, maybe Pimp My Ride was more to blame, but still. "What a Mess" is right. This one was a real disaster.

Best Tracks: Release Date, Multiply, Losin' Your Mind, My Name, What a Mess (bonus track)

Worst Tracks: Most of the rest of the album

Believe it or not, I am an Xzibit fan, despite this album being terrible. Look, told you!

Keith Murray - The Most Beautifullest Thing In This World

No, I'm not making it up - that really is what this man decided to name his debut album. 

Keith "I can't be bothered to think of a proper rap name" Murray was the first protege that Erick Sermon signed on following the controversial 1992 split of EPMD, and if Redman was anything to go by, E-Double's ability to find rap stars was pretty potent - and after Keith's appearances on Sermon's 1993 solo debut No Pressure (most notably his performance on the song "Hostile", which inspired the title of the album I'm discussing today) were well received, hip-hop heads all across parts of New York were excited to see what the man would be able to deliver on the solo tip. Keith then managed to sign himself a deal with the highly popular Jive Records, probably after threatening a couple of people with the prospect of being hit with a tall wooden seat (more on that later in his discography), and in 1994 he was able to put out a debut record, that of the ridiculous title you see above. Great! 

The Most Beautifullest Thing In This World managed to not only shift 500 thousand copies, but also was met with positive reception at the time by most hip-hop fans not named Prodigy or Havoc - not only for the Erick Sermon production, but also for Keith Murray's unique delivery on the mic, and lyrics that showed a lot of promise for a young upstart who'd had little experience in the game. As many of us know, Keith's short temper and deteriorating ear for beats gained him somewhat of a poor reputation from the year 2000 onwards, but in the blissful year of 1994, he was revered as one of the best acts in the game. Let's see if his skills as a musician hold up today. 

But seriously - how did a hip-hop album with the word "Keith" plastered right across the top manage to sell 500 thousand copies? And one with that shoddy of a cover art no less?

1. Live From New York (prod. Erick Sermon)

Self important intro that perfectly encapsulates the egotistical attitude a lot of rappers had at the time. Also, a waste of my bloody time. Next!

2. Sychosymatic (prod. Erick Sermon)

From the first cry of "Cowabunga! I'm takin' MCs straight under", you already know you're in for a wild ride with this one. Keith Murray introduces himself as a rapper who can be simultaneously zany and lyrically clever, and it's all helped along by Erick Sermon's pumping instrumental - one that would blow everything he made between 1999 and 2005 out of the goddamn water. Not to mention, "ooh, I might lose my cool" is one of my favourite hooks of the record. Great way to kick things off. 

3. Dip Dip Di (prod. Rod "KP" Kirkpatrick & Erick Sermon)

Another banging beat, this one with a dark piano chord added in to help it sound that much more like something from a horror movie - I think that's a Friday the 13th reference on the chorus too, although let me know if I'm very much mistaken. And while Keith does make an "all in the mustard, and can't ketchup/catch up" pun that sounds absolutely horrible every time, lyrically this one is mostly pretty great as well. Not to mention, both songs so far have been short and sweet, not outstaying their welcomes one bit. Pity later hip-hop records would frequently miss out on this simple art. This one was a banger, gang!

4. The Most Beautifullest Thing In This World (prod. Erick Sermon)

The lead single for this record, a song which is often considered Keith's signature song, if he has enough pedigree as an artist to have a "signature song" in the first place. This track is pretty good, but honestly I'm not as sold on it as most of the other cuts on this LP. Don't get me wrong, it's enjoyable enough, but the beat feels soft in comparison to the last two, and the cry of the title in the chorus is irritating (even if the following shout of "I get in ya" is amusing). Still, Keith's lyrics and flow on this track are pretty fucking excellent, so really I can't knock it. And as a first single, it is memorable. Not bad at all. 

5. Herb Is Pumpin' (prod. Erick Sermon)

Keith's first action here is to ape Redman's "Tonight's da Night" with something of a false start, only on this track it's never really explained why he felt the need to do that - still, it sounds pretty dope, so why it's there in the first place doesn't really matter. The rest of the song is a short and sweet number where Keith Murray rhymes about himself over one of the dopest basslines on the record, and the result is honestly nice as hell. I forgot how good this album was!

6. Sychoward (prod. Erick Sermon)

An attempt to set up the next track, but not a particularly good one - the title on this is amusing though.

7. Straight Loonie (feat. Jamal of Illegal & Erick Sermon) (prod. Erick Sermon, Rod "K.P." Kirkpatrick & Busta Rhymes)

Why the simplest beat on the whole album needed three different producers is beyond me, but still compared with a lot of today's records this instrumental may as well have come out of thin air. Aside from (the uncredited) Erick Sermon doing his best to rhyme whilst apparently having an iron pressed against his buttcheeks (seriously, listen to the way he delivers during this verse), this song continues the album's streak of dopeness, with Jamal and Keith sounding highly competent behind their respective mics, and not finding the need to try and fail to sound like a psychopath (I guess these guys generally sound slightly more invigorated behind the mic than E-Double in the first place). Rhyming alongside two other guys really does go to show how lyrically far ahead Keith was for his time though - I wonder if he regrets his violent outbursts today, knowing that he could have been a far more important and acknowledged figure in the genre if he had just slammed a fist on the table, rather than what actually happened. Oh well. Also, Busta Rhymes on production but no verse? On this song where his zany nature would have been perfect? The fuck?

8. Danger (prod. Erick Sermon)

For the next two numbers, Keith attempts to create some more relaxed joints to "lounge" and "get lifted" to, but unfortunately the first of those, this track "Danger", is somewhat of a mood killer in the tracklist. It certainly isn't bad, but I find the samples during the chorus to not quite hit the right notes for me, and also the sudden shift in energy makes this song seem kind of sleepy in comparison with what we've heard so far. Keith still sounds nice though, and I do like the bass on this joint, so it's not a total loss - this just happens to be the weakest of a great bunch of tracks so far. 

9. Get Lifted (prod. Erick Sermon)

In contrast to the previous track, this one is fucking awesome. Erick Sermon provides Keith with the perfect trippy beat to get blitted over, and Keith doesn't disappoint either, dropping some of the most insane bars across the entire record - the backing may be smooth and relaxed, but make no mistake, the rapping on this song is seriously some of the best across the entire LP. Not to mention that wonderful sample during the chorus. "I grab the 40, rip off the skirt, guzzle it / grab the mic and come out the wood works / when shit's thick and no time to think / Keith Murray gets busy off of Basic Instinct". This has to be one of the best tracks on the whole damn album. 

10. How's That (feat. Erick Sermon & Redman) (prod. Erick Sermon)

Would it be bold of me to say that this is the best Def Squad track of all time? I'm gonna say no - this is seriously incredible, not only my personal favourite song on the whole album, but also home to what is potentially a top 10 Redman verse ever. Seriously, that man blows the others out of the water on this record. Jesus. Erick Sermon's beat is dark and bass heavy, but seriously unique amongst the rest of the album, sounding more up to date and rich; meanwhile, the rappers drop some of their best performances ever on this record, with the aforementioned Redman verse being the crown jewel here - that man really went berserk over this instrumental. If you're lacking 40 something minutes to check this whole album out, at least find time to track down this song - it's seriously worth your time. What a great piece. 

11. The Chase (prod. Erick Sermon)

Another skit which really didn't need to be here. What a surprise. 

12. Take It To the Streetz (feat. Ron Jay, Fifty Grand & KiKi Hitsville) (prod. Erick Sermon)

Over a relaxed instrumental that reminds me of Xzibit's At the Speed of Life album for reasons I can't quite explain, Keith Murray takes the time to introduce us to his own merry band of mates who think that because their friend can rap, they can as well - hey, what rapper doesn't have a gang like this around them? The crew is called L.O.D., and at the time it only consisted of Ron Jay and 50 Grand (the third feature here is reserved for only ad-libs and outros on the track), but I'm pretty sure it grew a bit later on. And for what it's worth, for guys who are only on here at all because of their association to Keith, they're not all bad - maybe the luscious beat, and Keith having one of his less ambitious performances on here, makes them sound better, but honestly I don't mind them - or the track as a whole for that matter - all that much. You know, this is actually quite nice. Also, the title is hilarious. 

13. Bom Bom Zee (feat. Paul Hightower & Hurricane Gee) (prod. Erick Sermon)

Kind of a weird moment on the album, featuring a verse from Hurricane Gee of all people (who seems to show up on lots of random albums, like Dare Iz a Darkside and the aforementioned At the Speed of Life), and some crooning from a singer named Paul Hightower, who's voice is incorporated into the instrumental that stands out for being incredibly strange, and out of place on an album such as this. Keith's presence is barely felt on the record too, and while I don't dislike it, I can't help but think the album would have felt more raw if this failed experiment were left off. Huh. 

14. Countdown (prod. Erick Sermon)

Keith Murray attempts to show the world that he can count from 1 to 10, but after trying and failing he had to sample it from somewhere else. I'm kidding, but really - why is this here?

15. Escapism (prod. Redman)

Another essential joint - I seriously forgot how many brilliant songs were on this album. This track, with some banging production from Funk Doctor himself, right in his Dare Iz a Darkside era, is lyrically without doubt the most engaging track on the entire record, as Keith recounts a time in which he "escaped from the world", and met some martians who he proceeded to get high with. It's a pretty crazy tale, one that a certain Albert Johnson was so pissed about that he decided to use track two of his group's infamous second album (pun intended) in order to diss Keith for his "crazy space shit that don't even make no sense", starting up a beef that never really went anywhere after that (aside from a couple more half assed shots on Keith and Mobb's albums in 1996). I'm not sure why this was such an issue though, because the song itself is really good. Keith's lyrics are nice, and the beat is even nicer. This is a great way to end the album, one of the best on here in general. 

The following is listed as a bonus track. 

16. The Most Beautifullest Thing In This World (Green-Eyed Remix) (prod. Erick Sermon)

An Erick Sermon remix of a song produced by Erick Sermon, and it's nowhere near as good as the original. There's a reason the original song is considered a classic and this one is all but forgotten. This beat really just isn't interesting. 

In conclusion - wow! Upon relistening to this album and writing about it today, I find that it's about three times as good as I remember. Aside from the occasional stale moment or ridiculously stupid Erick Sermon verse (see - "Straight Loonie"), The Most Beautifullest Thing In This World is a fun, eccentric, and occasionally brilliant listen that most importantly, doesn't outstay it's welcome - excluding the bonus track this project doesn't even hit 40 minutes, and it's that short runtime that helps it remain highly replayable - maybe with a finger above the skip button for the occasionally dull moment (not that I ever skip, but most people do). Keith Murray is a seriously good MC, who doesn't only possess a great voice, but is also lyrically brilliant, with a bunch of complex rhyme schemes, quotable lines and generally effective bragging across this record that helps keep it engaging and at times impressive. Meanwhile, his ear for beats and guest appearances is stellar too, with the odd exception. While a song like "Bom Bom Zee" is out of place, and a track like "Danger" could have at least been sequenced a little better, songs such as "Sychosymatic", "How's That" and "Herb Is Pumpin'" portray what '90s hip-hop is all about - brilliant beats with dope basslines and drums to keep your head nodding all the way through, and excellent MCing that never fails to lose the listener. And on a song like "Get Lifted" or "Escapism", Keith proves he can be just as competent when it comes to the smoother tracks to relax to - this man isn't a one trick pony. While the album title, and even the name of the artist, may put some people off, The Most Beautifullest Thing In This World is a truly great listen, and an underrated gem of the '90s that deserves much more discussion. And goddamn is that Redman feature good! 

Best Tracks: "Sychosymatic", "Dip Dip Di", "Herb Is Pumpin'", "Get Lifted", "How's That", "Escapism"

Worst Track: "Bom Bom Zee"

More Keith albums to come on here, but for now here's some Redman reviews which probably discuss him at some point. 

An Atmospheric Journey, pt. 3 - Lucy Ford: The Atmosphere EP's

After the (lack of) success their debut album Overcast! generated for them, Minneapolis rapper/producer duo Atmosphere set about creating even more music for the underground heads to salivate over, only this time in the form of extra "side" projects - compilations and EPs and such - while they gave themselves a lengthier period of time to perfect their next proper studio album. The first of these was the Headshots: Se7en mixtape/compilation that I covered during the last post of the series, and it was pretty great, if not extraordinarily replayable or inventive. Perhaps the more significant of their endeavours in this era, however, was the project I'm covering today - Lucy Ford: The Atmosphere EP's. 

This project was the coming together of three EP's that Slug and Ant had put out in the years 2000 and 2001 - Ford One, Ford Two and The Lucy EP - with a couple of changes in sequencing too (one song from the EP's, "Travel", didn't even make this project at all). The first eight tracks make up The Lucy EP, and then tracks 9 to 15 are Ford One and Ford Two, with a few brand new tracks thrown in there too. The compilation of sorts is mostly produced by Ant, but oddly there are a few tracks on here with different producers, which feels a bit mean considering Ant is an actual part of the group and would therefore have nothing to do with those particular cuts. But whatever. There's also allegedly a hidden track which is a collaboration with El-P, and if there's one song I'm really intrigued by it's that one. But hopefully, there'll be plenty to enjoy throughout the 15 listed tracks on the back cover - Slug is a rapper who could potentially hold my interest for 15 straight tracks, and that's a good thing, as there are no other features on here at all. 

Right, let's get into it. This one has been a long time coming. Time to see if Slug puts as much effort into his EP's as he does his actual albums - because if so, this could be a seriously interesting project. 

1. Between the Lines (prod. Ant)

While Slug's storytelling throughout "Between the Lines" is pretty interesting, especially during the powerful and rather depressing third verse, I honestly think that the main appeal of this track is that instrumental from Ant, and the way it meshes so beautifully with Slug's vocals throughout the track - it's a truly wonderful sounding song, and honestly one of the best of the Atmosphere discography so far. The hook on here is memorable, and manages to be very repetitive without ever coming across as annoying, and this mellow beat really helps Slug's vocals to stand out, without ever feeling like mere background music, always standing out as this beautiful groove. I am actually surprised at how brilliant this sounded. Nice!

2. Like Today (prod. Ant)

A rather depressing storytelling cut - I guess we already know what the lyrical themes of most of these songs are going to be. I must admit I wasn't nearly as grabbed by the instrumental on this track as on the previous one - it's not bad, but just feels a little clunky, and doesn't really have the same smooth and relaxing grooves that made the last track so good. Also, Slug's storytelling is much more matter of fact here, and on a lot of the track he comes across as - to put it bluntly - a bit of a fucking creep. The best part about this track is probably the end part, where he reveals that the day was a dream, and insinuates that his life has become so formulaic that what inevitably happens has been plastered moment-for-moment into his mind. Did I mention the song was depressing? So while this is a step down from the previous song, it does have its moments - here's hoping the writing improves a little for the next song. 

3. Tears for the Sheep (prod. Ant)

On this track, things get a little more intense. Ant samples Aretha Franklin's "Cry Like a Baby", which I immediately recognised as also being the sample used in Czarface's "Cement 3's", released over ten years after this song, I might add - and it makes for a pretty nice beat that feels rather urgent and dystopian, as if the apocalypse mentioned on the previous song has finally come to get us. However, this song is more about Slug's feelings about the rap game, and how everyone is all similar nowadays - they've all become "sheep", hence the title. I've never been the biggest fan of when underground rappers act like they're better than the mainstream artists - even if they are, it's just arrogant and pretentious most of the time - but here Slug does start to improve his metaphors, rather than giving me the message straight up like on the last song, which I do appreciate from him. Overall, this is definitely an improvement over the last track, and a pretty nice cut in general. 

4. Guns and Cigarettes (prod. Ant)

Ant leans into his strengths - that's relaxing, groovy instrumentals - for the first time since the intro track, for this brilliant beat, that is repetitive as it gets, but manages to sound great throughout due to Slug's vocals and lyrics, which are absolutely hilarious. I was wondering why the man kept taking himself so seriously up to this point, so this humorous track (which was brand new on this compilation I believe, not a part of the original Lucy EP) is an honest to God breath of fresh air. Slug's lyrics, especially during the second verse, are entertaining as hell on this one, and I also love the way he incorporated the title into the theme of the song - go ahead and listen to it, you'll find out. In my opinion, it's seriously worth it. One of the best tracks yet. 

5. Don't Ever Fucking Question That (prod. Ant)

Beautiful, beautiful song. Slug's dedication to his mother is powerful, and made all the more heart-wrenching by Ant's incredible work behind the boards here - that sampling is just impeccable. But really, I wouldn't care what beat was on this song - it's the lyrics that help it to stand out. If this was just another tale about some lonely, depressed character with girl problems then the instrumental might not have even sounded that good - but it's not, and it helps that beat to sound beautiful. Also, is it just me, or do parts of that second verse sound exactly like something Aesop Rock would write? Whatever - this song rules. Brilliant stuff. 

6. It Goes (prod. Ant)

It seems that, thankfully, "Like Today" was the exception on here - as outside of that one Ant has been really tapping into his skills throughout this record. I mean, the bassline on this track right here is just exquisite. This is the first song on the project that really feels like it could be an Overcast! outtake, with it's fairly light hearted instrumental, and old-school call and response chorus - but let me tell you it would have been a highlight on that album. Slug's lyrics on here are really stellar, with some great one-liners, including "my son thinks that I am the coolest thing in this world / 'cause he's still too young to fall in love with girls". Rapping, production... whatever - this song is great in all areas. Dope stuff. 

7. If I Was Santa Claus (prod. Ant)

Despite the off-putting song title, I found this one to be really entertaining too. The track has kind of a haunting feel, despite the very christmassy sound that the instrumental incorporates, and Slug uses this as a blueprint for one of the most passionate performances he's delivered on this record thus far. The lyrics on here are nothing short of fantastic, with aggressive verses detailing all of his feelings at the time on music, love, his own depression, and much more. The track is far darker than the previous one, and it does add to the kind of bipolar nature of the record so far - but honestly that's not such a bad thing. This is one of the best tracks yet. 

8. Aspiring Sociopath (prod. Ant)

Quite the switch up in sound from the rest of the project so far, this pretentiously titled song finishes The Lucy EP section of the album, and it's... interesting. Musically, this one doesn't warrant much replaying - the halloween-esque instrumental is slow and gets rather mind-numbing, even if it is at least somewhat experimental and interesting, and Slug's flow is nowhere near as tight and in the pocket as it has been throughout the rest of the project. No, the main draw for this song is the storytelling, which basically is a better, less creepy (despite still being somewhat creepy) version of what Slug wrote on "Like Today" - and it's pretty entertaining, bar some of the attempts at singing classic songs strewn throughout the lone verse. Slug's mind clearly travelled to a myriad of different places during his early career, and this is an example of when his highly intriguing pen distracts the listener from any shortcomings the instrumental or actual rapping performance might have. This isn't a great song, but it does stand out, and that's important in a discography as big as Atmosphere's. 

9. Free Or Dead (prod. Jel)

This is the point in the LP where the Ford One and Ford Two EPs are placed, a change marked by the introduction of a new producer. And I've gotta say, this Jel guy does a pretty good job of keeping up the atmosphere (ha) of this album, with an instrumental that's relaxing yet also somewhat haunting, and one that doesn't overwhelm Slug's vocals on the song at any point either. The chorus on here is a bit pointless, feeling like just another part of the verses, only one repeated unnecessarily at the end... but otherwise this song is pretty awesome, despite Slug's affinity for rhyming about being a creep rearing its ugly head again. The rapping here is pretty damn entertaining, if the flows were a little repetitive at times, and as I said this beat is dope. Nice stuff!

10. Party For the Fight to Write (prod. Ant)

Atmosphere's love letter to the genre they work within is this track, the title of which alone pays homage to two classics by Public Enemy and the Beastie Boys. The bass heavy instrumental feels like a Bomb Squad beat put through the Atmosphere filter to make it sound relaxing, and it's really good, especially when it starts to switch up a bit midway through the track. Pity there's no record scratching on here - that would have enhanced the track to no end. Still, as it is it's pretty nice, with some really good verses from Slug - the awkward "Shook Ones" interpolation notwithstanding - and a reasonably well written hook. Like the last couple of tracks, it's not phenomenal, but it's not bad either. 

11. Mama Had a Baby and His Head Popped Off (prod. Ant)

The only song in this half of the album that's all new, not taken from the Ford EPs - and in my opinion it's a step up from the last few cuts. Atmosphere are at their best when Ant is creating a smooth, relaxing instrumental, and Slug is rapping calmly but with conviction, with some lyrics that are interesting and meaningful, but not too corny or preachy either - and this song manages their strengths perfectly. The instrumental, with that groovy bassline and vocal sample, is absolutely gorgeous, while Slug's rapping is brilliant - his lyrics are typically great, and his flows are nice too. It doesn't even have an annoyingly repetitive hook. This song is easily one of the best so far, and a brilliant track in general. 

12. They're All Gonna Laugh @ You (prod. Jel)

Ehhh... I get what Slug was trying to do here, but it really doesn't work for me. Remember the stuff I mentioned in the last paragraph about what makes Atmosphere great? Yeah, this has none of that. The instrumental is jarring and barely qualifies as music at all, while Slug's yelling and his terrible, terrible final bars are annoying as all hell. It's great that you can use music as a way of letting your anger out Slug, but do you really have to subject the general public to the results of it as well? This was a swing and a miss - but hey, at least it's short. 

13. Lost and Found (prod. Jel)

Definitely a big improvement on the last song, even if it is again a bit abrasive compared with some of the best material on this project. Slug's performance here is better and less whiny than on the previous song, meanwhile the instrumental is loud without being clunky and annoying - that last song really was a weak link wasn't it? Some of Slug's lyrics on here are really great, especially the opening few bars, and even if it is repeated to high heaven, I do enjoy the chorus on this track too. Yeah, this one was pretty fun. 

14. The Woman With the Tattooed Hands (prod. Ant)

This project's most popular song is this rather odd storytelling track, in which Slug recounts a time when the tattoos on a woman's hands came alive after she started to *ahem* pleasure herself. I'm assuming it's Ant's brilliantly moving instrumental, with its beautiful piano chords, that is the cause of this song's high streaming count, because I can't imagine Slug's disturbed fantasy is the reason - this song is lyrically weird as fuck. Entertaining, but weird as fuck all the same. There's probably some deeper message to this song, but for the moment I'm not really sure. Maybe it's just a story for the sake of a story. Either way, Slug is clearly starting to scrape the barrel for ideas, so it's a good thing we've reached the last song. 

15. Nothing But Sunshine (prod. Moodswing9)

Aside from the bit where Slug murders a cow while moaning (yes, that really does happen during this song), I actually really enjoyed this one - it might well be the best of the entire second half of the record. Slug's tale of how his rough upbringing didn't affect his positive outlook on the world now is touching (even though apparently most of the story is made up), and Ant's beat is fucking awesome, with great ringing pianos that make for beautiful backing music to the song. This was genuinely stellar, and a truly great way to end this project. 

But wait! Is that a... hidden track? Why yes, it is. 

15 1/2. Homecoming (feat. El-P) (prod. El-P)

I can only assume it was Slug not wanting to have any guest appearances on his album that kept this joint off of the main project, because this is easily one of the major highlights on here, and that's not even just the El-P Stan in me talking. Oh sure, El's verse is absolutely brilliant on here, being a precursor to a lot of the weird, unorthodox rhyme patterns and lyrics that would litter his masterpiece Fantastic Damage one year after this song's release - and his production is also fantastic (if not really like a lot of the other stuff he was doing at the time), with the pianos and occasional electronic sound effects creating a dystopian air to the song that is mostly missing from other Atmosphere tracks. But... I mean, Slug does good as well. Ah, who am I kidding - El-P is the main reason why you should listen to this - and you really should, as it's fucking brilliant. Great way to end this album - if only it was on a separate track to "Nothing But Sunshine". Oh well. 

Honestly, Lucy Ford: The Atmosphere EP's might just be Atmosphere's best album yet. Sure, Overcast! and Headshots: Se7en were both very entertaining, but at the end of the day they felt very amateur, and very rough around the edges. Lucy Ford is the first album in their discography thus far that feels like a proper project made by professionals using proper equipment - it feels like they're finally starting to find their own sound, and differentiate themselves from all the other underground, battle-rappy acts of the time. I've gotta give most of the props on here to the first half of the album, The Lucy EP, which was actually more recent than the Ford EPs, so it makes sense that it'd be more realised. Aside from my small issues with "Like Today", there was really very little to criticise within this half of the album. The storytelling was brilliant, Slug sounded brilliant on the mic, and Ant's production was consistently great, with plenty of lovely grooves being found in this part of the album. The second half is definitely less consistent, both in quality and also in sound in general - the latter point making sense what with the introduction of more new producers in this section - and in general lyrically and musically a little bit less enjoyable; but it's still pretty great nonetheless, and for every underwhelming moment (or straight up bad song - I'm talking about "They're All Gonna Laugh @ You", of course), there is a fantastic song too, like "Nothing But Sunshine", or that brilliant El-P collaboration that's a hidden track for some reason. This album is most certainly not perfect, but it definitely is a big step forward in Atmosphere's sound, and makes my excitement for the next album GodLovesUgly rise tenfold. I'd definitely recommend a listen of this - Atmosphere's unique sound is one that isn't to be missed, and much of the time on Lucy Ford their formula is working at it's absolute finest. 

Best Track: "Don't Ever Fucking Question That"

Worst Track: "They're All Gonna Laugh @ You"

If you're interested, I've written a little more about Atmosphere too!